Improvement in nailrplate feeders



W. KOPLIN.

NAIL-PLATE FEEDER.

Patented June 13, 1876.

WH EBBEE- NPEERS. PHOTO LTHOGRAPH UNITE WILLIAM KOPLIN, OF NEWCASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY B. KOPLIN, or SAME PLACE, AND

TOWN, OHIO.

NATHANIEL E. BROWN, OF YOUNGS- IMPROVEMENT IN NAIL-PLATE FEED ERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,646, dated June 13, 1876; application filed March 2, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM KOPLIN, of Newcastle, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Nail-Feeding Machine; and I do hereby'declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which Figure l is a plan view of my improved nail-plate-feeding machine. Fig.2 is a longitudinal section through the line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end-view, showing the .gearing employed to operate the feed-barrel. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the scrap-clearer, showing the manner of operating the same. Fig. 5 is a detached sectional view of the forward part of the feed-barrel, and Fig. dis a view of the cam for operating the cam-yoke.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each. m

My invention relates to machines for the automatic feeding of nail-plates to nail-ma chines; and it consists, first, in the combination of the feeding-barrel and sliding guards, which are caused to advance to prevent the rising of the scrap during the cutting of the last nail from the plate; second, in the combination of the feed-barrel, sliding frame, and fingers, the cam-shaft for operating the frame, and suitable mechanism for causing the movement of the frame to operate the fingers third, in the combination of the feed-barrel,-

cam-yoke, and spring'for raising and lowering the same and presenting it to the cutter;

fourth, in the combination of the feed-barrel and clearer, and suitable mechanism for operating the same, whereby the refuse of plate or scrap escaping from the feed-tube is cleared from the cutter; fifth, in the combination of the feeding-barrel, the sliding guards, and sliding frame, or equivalent mechanism, for operating the sliding guards from a point off the feedingbarrel; sixth, in the combination, with the revolving feed-barrel and mutilated pinion for driving the same, of -a pinion provided with blind-teeth, and combined with or arranged in-relation to the barrel, so as to In the drawing referred to, A is the revolv-y ing feed barrel or cylinder, through which the nail plates are fed to the nail machine. Through the center of this cylinder A is the longitudinal slot a. This cylinder A works in the bearings B O, and is revolved therein by means of the cog-wheel D, upon which are the blind teeth 01. Below the cylinder A lawrange the cam-shaft E, to which power is applied in any suitable way, and to whichis rigidly attached the cog-wheel -F, gearing into the wheel D. The cogs on one-half of the wheel F are mutilated, as at f.

The cylinder A will be revolved at such times as the gearing on the wheels D and F mesh, and will remain stationary when the blind gearing on the wheel 1) rests upon the mutilated port-ion of the wheel F, (as shown in 3,) the cam-shaft E thus making one complete revolution to every half-revolution of the cylinder A, and the cylinder being locked at the close of each half-revolution or during the time that the blind teeth of the gear-wheel '1) are in contact with thematilated portion f of the driving-pinion F, thus insuring the steadiness of the plate during the operation of the cutter.

The cam-shaft E is composed of two parts, tongued and grooved, or keyed so as to separate when the machine is thrown back on the hinges G, and joined again by means'of the tongue-and-groove joint c The part E of the cam-shaft E works inthe bearings 0 c and the part. E in the bearings c and 0 one set of bearings being fast on the bed and the other carried on the pivoted frame. In the bearings M I'arrange the sliding frame H, having the longitudinal arms h 71/ connected by the cross-braces 'le 70''. From the cross brace k is the projection 76 extending into the groove Z in the groove-cam L. This groovecam L is rigidly attached to the cam-shaft E and operat' ed thereby. The groove Z in said cam is so arranged that upon each revolution of the camshaft the sliding frame H is advanced'and retracted. Pivoted in the longitudinal arms h h are the feeding-leverslvl, provided with.

the fingers or clutches m, shod with any suitable substancefor biting on the nail-plate and feeding it forward. Arranged upon the sides of the machine are a series of inclines, n, against which the arms m of the feedinglevers m are pressed by means of the springs 71 causing them to follow the continuity of the incline, thereby obtaining an alternate advance and recession of the finger-arms of the levers. When the sliding frame H'advances, the arms m, following the inclination of the inclines a, throw the fingers m against the nail-plate 19, causing them to seize the same and hold it during the forward motion of the sliding frame, thus feeding forward the plate, and then the arms m, being retracted by the inclines n, free the fingers m from the plate 19. Upon the arm h of'the frame H is the projection h which engages with the arm 0 of the sliding guards 0. These sliding guards 0 move in the bearings 0 and are retracted by thesprings' 0 when the arms 0 are freed from the projection 72, These guards 0 advance over the nippers a whenever a cut is made from the plate, to support the plate, and also to prevent the flying of the scrap or piece left after the last out is made from the plate. in the barrel A are the spring-nippers a of steel or other suitablematerial, which hold the nail-platep in the required position for cutting by the nail-machine.

The tension of the nippers (1/ may be varied. by means of the set-screws a and thus their hold on the nail-plate changed to suit the feed. This is clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The forward bearing 0 of the barrel A is,

formed upon a vertically-sliding yoke, R, which is held up by a spring, r, or equivalent device, and retracted at intervals by a cam,

S, on the shaft E. In the rear bearing B of the barrel is a fixed pin or projection, b, which works in a camgroove, b, in the barrel A, and by means of which the barrel is advanced and retracted. Pivoted at t is the clearer T, for

clearing the refuse plate or scrap from the cut- The operation ofmy improved nail-platefeeding machine is as follows: The nail-plate is fed through the longitudinal slot a of the feeding-barrel A until it is opposite the fingers m. The blind teeth 61 of the gear-wheel D rest upon the mutilated portion fof the wheel F, so that the barrel A will not be turned by the revolution of the shaft E, but will be locked by the contact of the blind teeth with the mutilated portion of the gear-wheel for an interval during which the cutter is in operation. Power is applied to the cam-shaft E, which turns the groove cam L, thus advancing the sliding frame H, and, by means of, the stationary in- "clines n, causing the fingers m of the levers M of the frame H the projection h engages with the sliding guard 0, above the spring-nippers a and causes it to advance over the nippers a to support'the plate, and also to prevent the flying of the scrap when the last out is made from the plate.

During the operation thus described the forward bearing 0 of the barrel A has been held down by the cam S, so that the nippers a are in position for the cutting of the nail-blank. The cut is now made by the cutters of the machine.

Upon the further revolution of the shaft E the gearing on the wheels D and F mesh into each other, and the barrel A is revolved in the bearings 13 and O, the barrel being retracted by the cam-groove b and pin b in the bearing B. At the same time the cam S allows the springrto raise the sliding yokeE and bearing 0. By these means a backward and a rising motion are imparted to the forward end A of the feeding barrel, allowing it to free itself of the cutter, and make a half turn before another nailis cut from the plate. The

barrel is again drawn down by the cam S, and advanced by the'cam-groove b and pin b, and

theoperation is continued as before. During the turning of the barrel the scrap-clearer T is vibrated above the bed-knife V of the nail- A, machine in the manner above described, clearing away any pieces of scrap which may have fallen from the nippers a? of the machine, and, returning, assumes its position out of the way of the side of the bed-knife until another cut is made.

feed in more plate.

I have found in operating a full-sized machine, constructed in accordance with the above specification, that a speed requisite to out two hundred nails per minute is easily ob- I tained, and the devices work regularly and effectively.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let- I ters Patent, is

1. In combination with the feedingbarrel of a nail-plate feeder, the automatic springnippers a and the adjusting-screws a substantially as described.

2. The combination of the revolving feeding-barrel with the sliding guards O movable thereon, and suitable mechanism. for actuat- V Spy-holes in the barrel will enable the operator to see when it is necessary to ing the guards, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination of the feed-barrel, the sliding frame, provided with pivoted fingers, the cams or inclines for actuating the fingers, and suitable mechanism for reciprocating the sliding frame, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In combination with the feed-barrel A,

the vertically-sliding forward bearing 0, and

barrel, the pinion attached thereto, and provided with blind teeth, and the mutilated pinion of the driving-shaft, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. The combination of the feeding-barrel,

provided withvertically-movable bearing, the

feeding-fingers, provided with a sliding frame, the sliding guard,the clearer adapted to work in advance of the feed-barrel and across the bed-knife, and suitable cam mechanism for actuating the several parts specified, substantially as and for the purposes set'forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said WILLIAM KOPLIN,'have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM KOPLIN. Witnesses:

JAMES I. KAY, F. W. BITTER, Jr. 

